Florida spring training baseball hits record attendance for 2013

Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday that seven teams have set total attendance records for Florida Spring Training Baseball. Overall, spring training drew more than 1.6 million fans for the second consecutive season attending 247 games in the 2013 season.

Florida’s weather proved superb as only two games were rained out in the 37 days of Florida Grapefruit league games. Teams played in 14 locations statewide, with an average of over 6,000 fans attending the 247 games played between February 22 and March 30.

Scott’s office released the following statement:

“Today’s news that seven teams set all time attendance records at Spring Training facilities in Florida demonstrates our success in attracting visitors to the state,” Scott said. “Spring Training is critical to jobs for families throughout Florida. That’s why this session, I’ve worked to keep teams in the Sunshine State and keep our economy growing.”

The total attendance figure was compiled by the Florida Sports Foundation, a division of Enterprise Florida, Inc., from daily box scores and confirmed by each of the 15 teams in the Florida Grapefruit League. Only games played in Florida between Major League teams were included in the total. Exhibition games against college teams and World Baseball Classic teams are not included in the final totals.

Eight teams topped the 100,000 mark in total attendance for the second consecutive year as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees led the way with over 164,000 fans at games in Fort Myers and Tampa, respectively. The Red Sox edged the Yankees by 44 fans with a total attendance of 164,840 at Jet Blue Park while the Yankees drew 164,796 to Steinbrenner Field.

The 2013 season celebrated the 125th Anniversary of Spring Training Baseball in the Sunshine State. The tradition began in 1888 when the Washington Statesmen traveled to Jacksonville to work out in the “off season.” Since that time, the “off season” workouts have become an economic benefit to the state as Florida Spring Training Baseball provides the State of Florida a $753 million economic impact each year. The total was determined by an economic impact survey, compiled during the 2009 season, by Bonn Marketing Research Group of Tallahassee.

Since the 2000 season a total of 22,011,962 fans have attended Spring Training Baseball games in the State of Florida.

For more information about the Florida Grapefruit League and spring training baseball in the Sunshine State, please visit Florida Grapefruit League.

2013 Team-by-Team Florida Spring Training Attendance

Atlanta Braves – Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Lake Buena Vista

18 Games: 134,811 total attendance; 7,490 average per game

Largest Crowd: 10,298 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 16

Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota

17 Games; 120,455 total attendance; 7,086 average per game

Largest Crowd: 8,797 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, March 14

Boston Red Sox – JetBlue Park, Fort Myers

17 Games; 164,840 total attendance; 9,696 average per game

Largest Crowd: 9,987, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, February 23

Detroit Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland

17 Games; 136,858 total attendance; 8,050 average per game

Largest Crowd: 10,451 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March 29

Houston Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee

16 Games; 53,602 total attendance; 3,350 average per game

Largest Crowd: 5,013, vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, March 10

Miami Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

15 Games; 65,496 total attendance; 4,366 average per game

Largest Crowd: 6,934 vs. New York Yankees, Friday, March 8

Minnesota Twins – Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers

17 Games (one cancellation); 113,845 total attendance; 6,697 average per game

Largest Crowd: 8,366 vs. New York Yankees, Friday, March 22

New York Mets – Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie

17 Games; 83,412 total attendance; 4,907 average per game

Largest Crowd: 6,761 vs. Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 17

New York Yankees – Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

16 Games; 164,796 total attendance; 10,300 average per game

Largest Crowd: 11,028, vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, March 28

Philadelphia Phillies – Bright House Field, Clearwater

16 Games; 138,313 total attendance; 8,645 average per game

Largest Crowd: 11,100, vs. Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, March 17

Pittsburgh Pirates – McKechnie Field, Bradenton

15 Games (one cancellation); 93,433 total attendance; 6,229 average per game

Largest Crowd: 8,541, vs. New York Yankees, Sunday, March 17

St. Louis Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

16 Games; 98,715 total attendance; 6,170 average per game

Largest Crowd: 7,629, vs. Detroit Tigers, Saturday, March 16

Tampa Bay Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte

17 Games at Charlotte Sports Park, 1 at Tropicana Field; 106,102 total attendance; 5,895 average per game

Largest Crowd: 15,167 vs. Detroit Tigers,,Saturday, March 30 at Tropicana Field

Toronto Blue Jays – Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, Dunedin

16 Games; 78,509 total attendance; 4,907 per game average

Largest Crowd: 5,561, vs. Detroit Tigers, Saturday, March 9

Washington Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera

16 Games; 85,270 total attendance; 5,329 per game average

Largest Crowd: 7,415 vs. Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, March 27

Florida Spring Training Total Attendance

247 Games (two cancellations); 1,638,457 total attendance; 6,6,33 per game